DRUG FREE COMMUNUTIES GRANT

The Tonawanda City School District will receive a $625,000 grant through the DFC Support Program over five years with annual funding totaling $125,000.

The Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program was created by the Drug-Free Communities Act of 1997. It is supported by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC).

The DFC program goals are to:

Establish and strengthen the collaboration among communities, public and private non-profit agencies, and Federal, state, local and tribal governments to support the efforts of community coalitions working to prevent and reduce substance use among youth.
Reduce substance use among youth and, over time, reduce substance use among adults by addressing the factors in a community that increases the risk for substance use and promoting factors that minimize the risk for substance use.

Tonawanda Drug-Free Coalition: is undertaking to strengthen community collaboration to reduce youth substance use.

Overall, the funding aims to reach students in grades five through twelve by training socially influential students as peer leaders, implementing ongoing prevention programs, placing vaping prevention posters on school grounds, and creating a social media campaign.

Students who are struggling with addiction will receive supportive services and get connected to district-led recovery programs.

The coalition will also bring the community together during an annual Red Ribbon Week that celebrates being drug-free with motivational speakers and family activities, cementing the opportunity to spotlight awareness and prevention related to nicotine and cannabinoids.